Unsolicited Advice – Servant Leadership

At Leaf Landscape Supply servant leadership is how we nurture and grow our company. Servant leadership allows us to multiply success and satisfaction both personally and professionally.

7 Key Principles

1. Honor Others
2. Inspire Vision
3. Choose Ethics
4. Empower Others
5. Put People First
6. Balance Focus with Flexibility
7. Serve with Humility

Let’s begin with 1. Honor others before yourself. Einstein once said “ I speak to everyone the same way, whether he is a garbage man or the president of the university “. By speaking to everyone as if they are genuinely important no matter their position in life demonstrates genuine respect for all people. Respect defines the underlying attitude of a servant leader.

Affirm dignity by recognizing and responding to the needs of your team Actively resolve issues; never wait for things to just get better Respect people of all positions through words and behavior.

How to honor others? Acknowledge and affirm any concerns from your team. Showing respect for their vulnerability will add to your approachability by the team. This will improve internal motivation which will increase productivity of the individual and the team.

Let’s work on honoring others moving forward by actively respecting, listening, and acknowledging their perspectives and needs. Then actively help resolve any issues.

Continued Discussion on Servant Leadership

1. The first principle is Honor others before yourself.
2. Inspire Vision: A servant leader models a vision for the organization and then inspires a team to share that vision. It’s important to set a vision before taking action, because lack of direction leaves a team directionless and disconnected.
3. Choose Ethics: Great leaders prioritize the value of character over profit, they refuse to take advantage of opportunities for dishonest gain.
4. Empower Others: Leaders who care about empowering their team create a safe environment that encourages confident decisions. This safe environment gives a team permission to take smart risks that often lead to greater success.
5. Privilege People: There is no greater value than a team that desires to carry out their responsibilities with passion. This is accomplished by expressing value through respect, consideration and simple encouragement. Appreciate your team and think of ways to recognize their accomplishments.
6. Balance Focus with Flexibility: Remaining versatile while leading a team isn’t always easy, but it’s essential. Leaders too often self- destruct when they are unwilling or unable to innovate and adapt to new circumstances.
7. Serve with Humility: When a leader gives an honest assessment of oneself, they will always find new opportunities for growth. Humility is not thinking of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less. Arrogance in a leader can make them seem unapproachable, condescending, and infallible. By using these principles to lead our organization it creates synergies that will contribute and add value to our Leaf Landscape Supply team and organization.